


And So It Starts

by dragonflyMerri



Category: Brolin, Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-23
Updated: 2012-03-23
Packaged: 2017-11-02 10:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonflyMerri/pseuds/dragonflyMerri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened when Bradley James met his co-star Colin Morgan for the first time when they were cast for the show Merlin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And So It Starts

“Bradley – Hi, I’m James Hawes, I’ll be directing the first episode. I wanted to meet with you and go over the script with you. Get your thoughts on your character and where we’re going with the story.” The director instantly put him at ease with his quick smile and charming, open manner.  
Bradley smiled back and shook his hand, then took his seat at the table.  
“Just want you to know that I’ll be going through this same sort of thing with your co-star – have you met Colin Morgan yet?”  
“No, not yet. Looking forward to it.” In fact, Bradley was intensely curious to meet his co-star and the lead character of this new TV show called Merlin.  
“Sorry about that – bit unusual you two not having met yet. He’s just wrapping up a play, so he’s not due in until Wednesday. But I’m sure you’ll like him. Very pleasant chap. He’ll make an excellent Merlin to your Prince Arthur. Now, shall we talk about the script?”

****

Bradley walked out of the meeting feeling much more in tune with the character of Prince Arthur. Although he was a huge prat, he was starting to piece together, in his own mind, the reasons for Arthur being what he was. He was deep in thought about the Prince as he reached the outer doors. He stepped out just as another man stepped in and they bounced off each other. The other man looked up quite alarmed, then stepped back out of the way. “Sorry” he said in a heavy Irish accent.  
“No problem. Thank you.” Bradley stepped through the door now being held open by the other man and he glanced briefly over at him. A young chap with shaggy black hair hanging in his eyes, long sideburns and a moustache. Either his clothes didn’t fit or he was quite skinny under all those layers. Bradley looked down at his script and once again wondered who his co-star was going to be.

****

On Wednesday when Bradley turned up for the script read-through, James was already in the room talking to someone who had his back turned to the door. As Bradley opened the door, James looked up with a grin. “Bradley, welcome. Come and meet Colin.”  
The person in the chair turned and Bradley’s grin faltered as he looked into the face of the man he had bumped into. Really? This was who they had chosen to play Merlin? The young fellow stood up and held out his hand.  
“Hi, I’m Colin Morgan. And you’d be Bradley.”   
At least, that’s what Bradley thought he might have said. The Irish accent was so heavy Bradley only caught bits and pieces of the introduction. Good god – if he couldn’t understand what this guy was saying, how was the tv audience supposed to understand him?  
“Hello, pleased to meet you.” Bradley smiled back, hiding his doubts.  
The two men took a closer look at each other.  
Beneath the shaggy black hair, blue-gray eyes peered out at Bradley and a shy smile played across Colin’s face. Colin had the most remarkable cheekbones and Bradley knew the camera would love him. Although the same height, or maybe a bit taller, Colin seemed to be somehow smaller then Bradley, probably because of his slight build and the way he carried himself, shoulders hunched in as if apologizing for taking up space. He also gave off an air of frailty and Bradley felt an absurd need to protect this mild mannered young man.  
Then he noticed that Colin was looking at his Prince Arthur assessingly and Bradley felt a flush creep up his neck and onto his cheeks. Cheeks that were currently pockmarked with a raging case of acne brought on by nerves and a bout of bad eating habits. He knew he didn’t currently look the part of the ‘heart-throb’ of the show, as James had described Arthur. But once his skin had cleared up, he knew he could look every inch the prince. He knew he carried himself better than Colin did, self assured and athletic, with blond hair windblown across his brow and ‘amazing blue eyes’ – as everyone always told him.  
Colin seemed to come to some private conclusion, and his smile widened, reaching his eyes this time, and Bradley found himself unexpectedly charmed by this slight, gentle man.  
That was, until he opened his mouth to speak, as he was now doing to James. James didn’t seem to have a problem with Colin’s accent, but Bradley found himself lost, only picking up the James side of the conversation.  
Colin turned and said something unintelligible and Bradley could only stare at him.  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.” He felt a bit mortified that he couldn’t understand a single word that Colin had said.  
Colin’s mouth quirked into a quick grin and he repeated his question, this time, somehow, a bit more clearly and Bradley heard “I was wondering how you saw the relationship between Merlin and Arthur?”  
The conversation progressed from there and Bradley found he could more easily understand Colin. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was getting used to the accent, but somehow Colin didn’t seem to mumble as much.  
“Right,” said James. “How about an quick read through of the script where Merlin meets Arthur for the first time? Colin, could you put a bit more British in your accent? We’ll get a vocal coach to work with you until you have the accent down, but for now, a bit more British please.”  
Colin read his opening lines in a very passable British accent and it was so unexpected that Bradley could only stare at him, completely missing his cue. Colin looked up expectedly through his heavy fringe.  
Bradley shook his head grinning. “That was brilliant! I couldn’t understand a word you said when I walked in here. I thought I was just getting used to your accent, but you changed it so I could understand. And now you’re doing British. That’s brilliant!”  
“And here I thought you were just a bit thick,” Colin deadpanned, looking at Bradley in all seriousness. “You know, all blonde and empty-headed like.”  
Bradley lost his grin, staring at Colin in shock.  
“What the hell?? That’s…that’s a bit rude!” Bradley was quite nonplussed and Colin burst out laughing.  
“Yes!” James yelled with elation and the two men turned to stare at him. “This is exactly the way this relationship starts. Johnny and Julian were right – you two are going to be brilliant in this show.”

****

Two weeks later, Bradley was at the studio that would be his home for the next eight months. He was in costume, sitting with a script, running his lines. It was the first day on set, and he hadn’t seen his co-star yet. Apparently Colin had an earlier call-in then he had.  
As he concentrated on his lines, one of the extras came and sat beside him, giving him a polite “Hello”.  
Bradley glanced up at him, a young chap who was obviously playing a page or something.  
“Do you want to run lines while we wait?” the chap asked.  
Bradley looked at him again in puzzlement. “I’m sorry, do we have a scene together?”  
“We have a whole show together.” Replied the young chap. And then he grinned.  
Bradley’s jaw dropped open as he stared wide-eyed. It was Colin, but not the Colin he knew. Gone was the long shaggy hair, gone was the scruffy facial hair and mustache, and the long sideburns. Instead, sitting beside him, Colin looked about 12 years old. His hair was now in a bowl cut and his ears stuck out - seriously out, on eather side of his head. Somehow, his eyes were now huge and blue. He was dressed in a tunic, breeches and scruffy jacket, with a red neckerchief and he looked the picture of innocence and hope.  
“God almighty!! What the hell have they done with you??” Bradley was absolutely gob-smacked.  
“I might ask the same of you. You’re looking quite princely in that get-up.”  
Bradley shook his head dismissively. “This is just costume and make-up. But you! You look like a totally different person! And you’ve got ears - lots of ears!”  
“Yeah, not so crazy about this haircut because of that. Ears have always been a bit of a problem with me.”  
“And your accent, you’re more British now.”  
“Don’t let my mum hear you say that.” Colin’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Do you think I might look more the part of Merlin now?”  
Bradley threw back his head in laughter and Colin joined in, head ducked down, his eyes crinkling in amusement.  
“Morgan – this is the start of a beautiful relationship!” Bradley declared.


End file.
